# A few quick cigar photo tips



## Vwluv10338 (Aug 24, 2010)

Everyone likes pictures. We all appreciate when people take the time to write reviews and then take more time to take, download, upload, and post pictures to go along with it. However, many times quite a few of the pics turn out like this: (Thanks Neil, I stole your pic for my point)










A blurry cigar with your shoes in focus. The problem is focal length. The camera can not focus on a subject so close to the lens. People tend to hold a cigar 1.5 to 2 feet away and its just not physically possible. Now if you are using a cell phone then there is nothing you can do but move the camera farther away untill the cigar is in focus. If you have an IPhone 4 then you are in luck because it takes fantastic close-up photos after tapping the screen to force focus on the cigar. I think my Iphone will focus up to around 6". 
Now if you are using a typical point-and-shoot then there may be luck for you. Most P&S cameras have a "Macro mode". This allows the camera to focus on close up subjects like flowers. Therefore the icon is typically a flower. You may have to check your owners manual to figure out the menu sequence to find it but the icon should be the same.









Now even with a P&S once in macro mode there can be issues. Sometimes the camera flash is set in "auto" mode and there is little light so it uses the flash. The problem is the flash is too bright and too close to the lens to be usefull.

IPhone4 pic in good light with no flash. This was in my kitchen so the light was a little too bright and it blew out the contrast on the band.









IPhone4 pic with flash. Notice the white spot it created.









Less light. Not bad but better than with the flash.









If there is not enough light then you may need to add some. Gentile light is always better. My flashlight was too bright so I needed to soften it. I know this may be too far but just adding a little extra light can make a big difference. 









These are just a few shots I took with my SLR. The lighting is not the best and I was at the max close range for the focus. I dont own a good macro lens eventhough I find the pics the pros can take incredible.



















Going through looking at pics on here I can see there are some photography people here that have taken some impressive photos. ANinjaforallseasons has great pics here: http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/cigar-pictures/295624-ninjas-cigar-photos.html If anyone has any questions they can post them in here and I'm sure I or anyone else would be glad to help.:ear:


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Great tips thanks!


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

Thanks for the compliment, I'm glad you enjoy my pics! 

Great tips, too. It's always good to have that reminder to not hold stuff too close to a point-and-shoot!


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## E Dogg (Mar 23, 2011)

cool thread. It drives me nuts when somebody posts pics asking questions (usually mold/plume ones) and all you can see is blury photos. 

I love my phone. It's a sonyericsson vivaz and has an 8.1mp camera with a bunch of settings including the macro. It also video records in 720p. So it's not just the iPhone....


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## neil (Aug 21, 2011)

thanks for the tips! should come in handy with my camera since i didn't know what the "flower" setting was for. looks like im going to have to try this out!


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## ten08 (Sep 8, 2011)

Good info for those of us who want to take passable photos, but don't want a new hobby. Thanks, V-dub!


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## Richterscale (Jan 8, 2011)

Thanks for the tips! I've been wanting/procrastinating some cigar reviews but I really want to take some good photos with them. I only have a P&S right now but I'm thinking about maybe buying a nicer cam to get some good hi-def photos. My powershot SD940 isn't cutting it.


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## Vwluv10338 (Aug 24, 2010)

Richterscale said:


> Thanks for the tips! I've been wanting/procrastinating some cigar reviews but I really want to take some good photos with them. I only have a P&S right now but I'm thinking about maybe buying a nicer cam to get some good hi-def photos. My powershot SD940 isn't cutting it.


Buying a "nice" camera is a whole other slippery slope


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## lebz (Mar 26, 2011)

Good tips.. Macro is key


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## Fuelie95 (Oct 24, 2007)

Great tips! Reminded to make sure if you're holding the cigar, your thumb doesn't cover the label...


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## Richterscale (Jan 8, 2011)

Vwluv10338 said:


> Buying a "nice" camera is a whole other slippery slope


That's what I'm afraid of! But I'm really interested in starting a blog and I think I can talk myself into it being worth it! lol


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## Engineer99 (Aug 4, 2011)

I used to be able to take really good pictures with my film SLR, but since it was stolen, I haven't had the funds to replace it and now use a chintzy digital point-and-shoot. I miss having all the controls the SLR offers but love the ability to preview the picture before I don't have a chance to take it again in case the exposure or depth of field is not what I wanted. I don't take as many pictures as I used to but am slowly getting back into it. 

I think having the film SLR made me a better photographer by forcing me to make sure I "do my homework" in regards to exposure, depth of field, and all the other parameters. Being able to actually look through the lens helps a lot as well. The experience gained messing with the controls made me a better photographer and the lack of control on my digital point and shoot is a bit frustrating.


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## Vwluv10338 (Aug 24, 2010)

Engineer99 said:


> I used to be able to take really good pictures with my film SLR, but since it was stolen, I haven't had the funds to replace it and now use a chintzy digital point-and-shoot. I miss having all the controls the SLR offers but love the ability to preview the picture before I don't have a chance to take it again in case the exposure or depth of field is not what I wanted. I don't take as many pictures as I used to but am slowly getting back into it.
> 
> I think having the film SLR made me a better photographer by forcing me to make sure I "do my homework" in regards to exposure, depth of field, and all the other parameters. Being able to actually look through the lens helps a lot as well. The experience gained messing with the controls made me a better photographer and the lack of control on my digital point and shoot is a bit frustrating.


I completely agree. When I was a teenager I used my dads Pentax ME Super 35mm SLR. Eventually I bought a 1.2MP digital camera. For years I used point and shoots and it made me lazy. They would take ok pics for random college stupidity but not much else. I realized I needed a SLR when I was standing on the second story balcony in Jamaica trying to take a pic of the lit up pool and grounds. It was beautiful but I couldnt get the shot. At that point I tried to find the shutter speed setting and realized there was none. I was done with P&S at that point.


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